Fleeting Glances of Doc’s and Other Grocery Ghosts of Shafter Avenue

The commercial district at Shafter Ave. and College Ave. has already been reviewed, shown here in a northeast view, left, and southwest view, right, with MW 302 during an excursion trip circa 1948-1949.

L292-05-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 200088sn, l, 203633, r, (Image 1 of 26)

During the SN era, Shafter Ave. south of Forest St. had a few commercial entities that began as grocery stores. This northeast view circa 1950 of Birney 62 being transported to the 40th St. and Shafter Ave. yard and shops also captured the Community Market.

L292-10-McDonald Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 134632sn, (Image 2 of 26)

The location of the Community Market is easily determined by walking down Shafter Ave. between 41st. and 42 St., it is a more challenging task to find images depicting the history of this storefront and the others that will be examined. By chance, SN rail fans did include some of these entities in their images, but as will be seen in this update, most of those were fleeting glances at best.

L292-15-McDonald Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 134632sn, and Google Maps, (Image 3 of 26)

The area to be covered is shown in this northeast aerial view from Apr. 8, 1953, beginning at the red dot at the intersection of 40th St. and Shafter Ave. alongside the SN facility, to the intersection of Clifton St. and Shafter Ave., green dot.

L292-20-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-9, (Image 4 of 26)

A detail from another northeast aerial view from Apr. 8, 1953 shows the position of the Community Market at no. 4179 Shafter Ave., a few structures south of 42nd St., the latter seen running across the image left to right.

L292-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-10, (Image 5 of 26)

The scene is at Shafter Ave. in front of the Community Market, with SN 652 pulling, SN 653 pushing on the rear, and Birney 62 in tow hauling the last SN freight west of Lafayette to Walnut Creek in a light rain, Feb. 28, 1957, southwest view. The market used two storefronts, but was only identified in directories by its southwest side, no. 4179.

L292-30-E. K. Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 77361sn, (Image 6 of 26)

Almost a decade earlier, Mar. 31, 1948, SN 604 and companion motor SN 603 move a string of boxcars northeast in this southwest view. This image in particular suggested a look into other images showing the ads on the store’s north flank.

L292-35-Al Rose Photo, Rose Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 175300sn, (Image 7 of 26)

A similar southwest view from a circa 1948-1949 SN excursion with MW 302 delivers some more ads reflecting this era.

L292-40-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 200087sn, (Image 8 of 26)

Two more northeasterly facing aerials from Apr. 8, 1953 bring the tour along the west flank of Emerson Elementary School, to commercial entities at the corner with 45th St., orange arrows, and 49th St., green arrows. If you want to know more about the history and fate of this imposing building that was razed in 1978, see the excellent article in Temescal Over Time, https://www.temescalovertime.org/agolsinglesearch.php/?search=DIPH0134.1998.09

L292-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-13, l, 3301, r, (Image 9 of 26)

Rail enthusiast Al Rose was busy on Mar. 31, 1948, based on his image in L292-35, and this north view of the rear of the same train with SN 605 pushing from the rear as the caboose approaches 45th St. and the grocery store at no. 400 on the northwest corner of the intersection.

L292-50-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, Al Rose Photo, Rose Collection, 175302sn, (Image 10 of 26)

This north view up Shafter Ave. of a two car train heading to 40th St. is the best view that could be found of the small grocery at no. 400 45th St. The license plates of the cars are consistent with 1938 or 1940, but the resolution is not good enough to provide a better estimate or decipher the name on the store. More on this topic coming up.

L292-55-Harry Aitken Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 162299sn, (Image 11 of 26)

Ahead to circa 1948-1949, and the excursion train MW 302 has progressed to 48th St., the small grocery at 45th St. seen in the distance in this south view.

L292-60-Erle Hanson Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 205482sn, (Image 12 of 26)

The interval between the small grocery and 48th St. is seen in this detail from a southwest-facing aerial from Apr. 8, 1953.

L292-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-12, (Image 13 of 26)

This north view from June 1941 of SN 1005 and SN 1014 heading to 40th St. just before cessation of SN passenger service includes the sign noting the presence of Emerson Elementary School, and a Borden’s sign on the building at the corner of 49th St., magnified on the right, indicating another grocery.

L292-70-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 175266sn, (Image 14 of 26)

A SN freight motor can be seen just beyond the grocery at 49th St. in this northeast view from 48th St. on June 4, 1954.

L292-75-E. K. Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 112946sn, (Image 15 of 26)

Along with documenting the return of SN 1005 from use by the Key System and again under 1500 volts for the first time since 1941, this north view reveals that the grocery store at 401 49th St. is Cathay Food Mart. Interestingly, a second almost identical image covers the “A” in Cathay, but reveals the “T” to complete the spelling listed in directories.

L292-80-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 175270sn, (Image 16 of 26)

From these two details of oblique southwest views at Shafter Ave. and 48th St., it can be appreciated that this corner building had four storefronts on 49th St., nos. 401-407, but the detail of the one facing on Shafter Ave. of no. 401 cannot be resolved.

L292-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-12, (Image 17 of 26)

One last look at Emerson Elementary in this northeast view from Apr. 8 1953 provides a few more structural details of the south-facing side of the corner building at 49th St.

L292-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-13, (Image 18 of 26)

There was only one additional grocery store or commercial entity between 49th St. and Forest St., the orange arrow marking the structure at no. 5301 Shafter Ave. to be investigated next at the intersection of Shafter Ave. and Clifton St. Northeast view from Apr. 8, 1953.

L292-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-13, (Image 19 of 26)

Bob Butterfield wrote on Nov. 25, 2011, “I lived at James and Clifton, 3 blocks from the SN tracks on Shafter.  I was wondering: do any photos exist specifically showing the Shafter-Clifton intersection?  I used to walk across these on my way to and from "Doc's" store on this corner to buy baseball cards.” Twelve years later an image was finally found, taken by Bob Townley on the BAERA-sponsored excursion with MW 302 on May 2, 1954, southwest view. A detail is on the right.

L292-100-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, Robert P. Townley Photo 201156sn, (Image 20 of 26)

A SN freight motor passes the grocery at Clifton St. on its way to College Ave. in this undated southwest view ca. 1940s.

L292-105-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 177710sn, (Image 21 of 26)

The Sanburn map on the left from 1903, Vol. 3 indicates that the street extended south only as far as 48th St. There were no commercial entities or structures that would eventually house these stores. The map on the right from 1911-1912, Vol. 3, panel 306 is the first indication of a commercial property, this corresponding to what was to become no. 5301 Shafter Ave. The no. 426 Clifton St. address was never associated with a telephone listing.

L292-110-Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, (Image 22 of 26)

The four commercial entities associated with Shafter Ave. are shown from the 1952 Sanborn map, Vol. 3a. The red color for the building on 49th St. indicates that the building was faced with brick. No other commercial structures were seen along or at intersections with Shafter Ave. at this time. The black arrow points to a building just west of no. 5301 Shafter Ave., nos. 450-452, partly office, partly warehouse. Ref: Panel 340A, left; Panel 333A, middle two; Panel 324A, right.

L292-115-Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, (Image 23 of 26)

This northeast view from Apr. 8, 1953 shows nos. 450-452, yellow arrow. According to telephone reverse directories it was Howden Tile Co. at no. 452, with Robert Howden, Jr.’s residence at no. 450, having been a dairy-creamery in 1940, and to be ARCO Legal Service in 1967. Unfortunately a ground shot was too far away for railfans to ever record a  ground-level glimpse of it.

L292-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-14, (Image 24 of 26)

A summary of the ten four groceries includes how they appear in 2023, and some history of the store names or businesses occupying the properties obtained from reverse directories from 1938-1973, and sampling Polk’s directories. Only the 49th St. property is commercial in 2023 with Optimal Form and Fitness at no. 4899 Shafter Ave., Oakland Acupuncture at no. 403 49th St., Back to lIfe Therapy at no. 403, Temescal Creek Medicine at no. 405., and Integrated Pilates and Wellness at no. 407.

L292-125-Stuart Swiedler Photos and Tabulated Listings, (Image 25 of 26)

With aerial photography, images of other commercial entities between College and Telegraph Aves. can be appreciated. This southwest view from Apr. 8, 1953 shows no. 426 Clifton St., yellow arrow, since converted to a residency, and 473 Hudson St., orange arrow, still serving as a commercial entity for Danspace. Thanks to Bob Butterfield for the personal recollection that set in motion the search to make this update a reality.

L292-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-16, (Image 26 of 26)